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i 

♦  i 

!  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST  i 


ATTltK-DAY   SAINTS. 

-•■  " 

t 

1 

t  t 

•   ITS  PRIESTHOOD,  ORGANIZATION,  DOCTRINES,  | 
ORDINANCES  AND  HISTORY.  t 

\ 
I 

i 

in'     ELDER     JOHN     JAQUES.  | 


Salt  Lake  City,  Utah:  | 

'KSERET    NEWS    COMPANY,  PRINTERS    AND    PUBLISHERS.        | 
1882.  I 


^/ 


4.or  V 

THE 


CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST 


QF 


LATTER-DAY  SAINTS; 


ITS  PRIESTHOOD,  ORGANIZATION,  DOCTRINES, 
ORDINANCES  AND  HISTORY. 


BY     ELDER    JOHN     JAOUES.- 


Salt  Lake  City,  Utah: 
peseret  news  company,  printers  and  publishers. 

1882. 


/     ^ 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  i832. 

By  JOHN  JAQUES, 

In  the  ojice  of  ike  Librarian  of  Congress ^  at  Washington » 


Bancroft  Library 


CONTENTS 

» 

CHAPTER  I. 

Pkiesthood, 

CHAPTER  II. 

.      5 

Organization, 

CHAPTER  III. 

.     10 

Doctrines, 

CHAPTER  IV. 

.     13 

Ordinances, 

CHAPTER  V. 

.     16 

History,    . 

. 

.     20 

References, 

. 

.     30 

Testimony   op   Witnesses    to   the   Book    of 

Mormon,     .  ,  ,  ,  ,31 


THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST 
OF  LATTER-DAY  SAIiNTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PRIESTHOOD. 


In  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints 
there  are  two  Priesthoods — the  Melcliisedek,  and  the 
Aaronic,  the  latter  including  the  Levitical. 

The  Melchisedek  is  the  higher  Priesthood,  com- 
prising apostles,  patriarchs,  high  priests,  seventies, 
and  elders,  and  holds  the  right  of  presidency,  with 
the  authority  to  administer  in  all  or  any  of  the  offices, 
ordinances,  and  affairs  of  the  Church.  ''The  power 
and  authority  of  the  higher  or  Melchisedek  Priest- 
hood is  to  hold  the  keys  of  all  the  spiritual  blessings 
of  the  Church,  to  have  the  privilege  of  receiving  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  to  have  the 
heavens  opened  unto  them,  to  commune  with  the 
general  assembly  and  church  of  the  First-born,  and  to 
enjoy  the  communion  and  presence  of  God  the  Father, 
and  Jesus  the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant." 


6  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

An  apostle  has  the  right  to  administer  in  the 
various  offices  of  the  Church,  especially  in  spiritual 
things.  So  also,  according  to  their  respective  callings, 
have  a  patriarch,  a  high  priest,  a  seventy,  and  an 
elder.  But  the  special  office  of  a  patriarch  is  to  give 
patriarchal  blessing-s,  and  the  particular  calling  of  a 
seventy  is  to  travel  and  preach  the  Gospel  and  to  be 
an  especial  witness  in  all  the  world,  building  up  the 
Church  and  regulating  the  affairs  of  the  same  in  all 
nations,  under  the  direction  of  the  higher  authorities 
of  the  Church. 

All  officers  superior  to  elders  are  frequently 
termed  elders.  The  duties  of  an  elder  are  thus  de- 
fined :  "An  apostle  is  an  elder,  and  it  is  his  calling  to 
baptize;  and  to  ordain  other  elders,  priests,  teachers, 
and  deacons ;  and  to  administer  bread  and  wine,  the 
emblems  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ ;  and  to  con- 
firm those  who  are  baptized  into  the  Church,  by  the 
laying  on  of  hands  for  the  baptism  of  fire  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  according  to  the  Scriptures ;  and  to  teach, 
expound,  exhort,  baptize,  and  watch  over  the  Church ; 
and  to  confirm  the  Church  by  the  laying  on  of  the 
hands,'and  the  giving  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  to  take 
the  lead  of  all  meetings.  The  elders  are  to  con- 
duct the  meetings  as  they  are  led  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
according  to  the  commandments  and  revelations  of 
God." 

The  Aaronic,  with  the  Levitical,  Priesthood  is  a 
subordinate  priesthood.  It  is  called  the  lesser  Priest- 
hood because  it  is  an  appendage  to  the  Melchisedek 
or  higher  Priesthood,  and  acts  under  its  direction 
and  supervision. 


PRIESTHOOD.  7 

The  Aaronic  Priesthood  comprises  bishops,  priests, 
teachers,  and  deacons,  and  has  power  to  administer 
in  certain  ordinances  and  in  the  temporal  aflfairs  of 
the  Church.  ''The  power  and  authority  of  the  lesser 
or  Aaronic  Priesthood  is  to  hold  the  keys  of  the  min- 
istering of  angels,  and  to  administer  in  outward 
ordinances,  the  letter  of  the  Gospel — the  baptism  of 
repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins ;"  also  to  sit  as  a 
common  judge  in  Israel. 

The  bishopric  is  the  presidency  of  the  Aaronic 
Priesthood,  and  holds  the  keys  or  authority  of  the 
same.  *'The  office  of  a  bishop  is  in  administering  all 
temporal  things."  First-born  sons,  literal  descend- 
ants of  Aaron,  have  a  legal  right  to  the  bishopric. 
No  other  man  has  a  legal  right  to  the  presidency 
of  this  Priesthood,  and  a  first-born  descendant  of 
Aaron  must  be  designated  by  the  First  Presidency  of 
the  Melchisedek  Priesthood,  "and  found  worthy,  and 
anointed,  and  ordained  under  the  hands  of  this  presi- 
dency," before  he  is  legally  authorized  to  officiate  in 
the  Priesthood.  ''But  as  a  high  priest  of  the  Mel- 
chisedek Priesthood  has  authority  to  officiate  in  all 
the  lesser  offices,  he  may  officiate  in  the  office  of 
bishop  when  no  literal  descendant  of  Aaron  can  be 
found,  provided  he  is  called  and  set  apart  and  ordained 
unto  this  power  under  the  hands  of  the  First  Presi- 
dency of  the  Melchisedek  Priesthood." 

A  bishop  who  is  a  first-born  descendant  of  Aaron 
can  sit  as  a  common  judge  in  the  Church  without 
counselors,  except  when  a  president  of  the  High 
Priesthood  is  tried.  But  a  bishop  from  the  High 
Priesthool  must  not  sit  as  a  judge  without  his  two 


8  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

coimselors.     In  both  cases  the  jurisdiction  of  bishops 
is  original,  but  not  exclusive. 

Over  all  the  other  bishops  in  the  Ohurch  there  is 
a  presiding  bishop,  with  two  counselors.  Edward 
Hunter  is  the  present  presiding  bishop,  and  Leonard 
W.  Hardy  and  Robert  T.  Burton  are  his  counselors. 

The  duties  of  a  priest  are  "to  preach,  teach,  ex- 
pound, exhort,  and  baptize,  and  administer  the  sacra- 
ment, and  visit  the  house  of  each  member,  and  ex- 
hort them  to  pray  vocally  and  in  secret,  and  attend  to 
all  family  duties ;  and  he  may  ordain  other  priests, 
teachers,  and  deacons ;  and  he  is  to  take  the  lead  of 
meetings  when  there  is  no  elder  present ;  but  when 
there  is  an  elder  present  he  is  only  to  preach,  teach, 
expound,  exhort,  and  baptize,  and  visit  the  house  of 
each  member,  exhorting  them  to  pray  vocally  and  in 
secret,  and  attend  to  all  family  duties.  In  all  these 
duties  the  priest  is  to  assist  the  elder,  if  occasion 
requires." 

The  duties  of  a  teacher  are  "to  watch  over  the 
Church  always,  and  be  with  and  strengthen  them,  and 
see  that  there  is  no  iniquity  in  the  Church,  neither 
hardness  with  each  other,  neither  lying,  backbiting, 
nor  evil  speaking  ;  and  see  that  the  Church  meet  to- 
gether often,  and  also  see  that  all  the  members  do 
their  duty  ;  and  he  is  to  take  the  lead  of  meetings  in 
the  absence  of  the  elder  or  priest." 

The  duties  of  a  deacon  are  to  assist  the  teacher  in 
his  duties  in  the  Church,  if  occasion  requires.  But 
deacons  have  more  especially  to  do  with  temporalities 
and  are  expected  to  see  that  the  meeting  houses  are 
in  comfortable  condition  for  the  use  of  the  officers 


PRIESTHOOD.  9 

and  members  of  the  Church  in  their  various  meet- 
ings. 16  is  also  the  duty  of  the  deacons,  under  the 
direction  of  the  bishops,  to  look  after  the  welfare  of 
the  poor,  and  endeavor  to  supply  their  necessities. 

Teachers  and  deacons  are  ''appointed  to  watch 
over  the  Church,  to  be  standing  ministers  unto  the 
Church."  ''But  neither  teachers  nor  deacons  have 
authority  to  baptize,  administer  the  sacrament,  or  lay 
on  hands.  They  are,  however,  to  warn,  expound,  ex- 
hort, and  teach,  and  invite  all  to  come  unto  Christ." 

JN'o  man  can  hold  any  office  in  the  Priesthood,  in 
either  kind,  unless  by  authoritative  call  and  ordina- 
tion, or  by  special  appointment  of  God. 

As  a  general  rule,  though  with  some  limitations, 
an  officer  in  the  Priesthood  has  power  to  ordain  men 
to  the  same  office  that  he  holds,  when  the  candidates 
are  properly  called  and  vouched  for. 


10  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

CHAPTEE  II. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The  First  Presidency  of  the  Church,  also  known 
as  the  First  Presidency  of  the  High  Priesthood,  consists 
of  a  president  and  two  counselors.  John  Taylor  is  the 
present  president,  and  George  Q.  Cannon  and  Joseph 
F.  Smith  are  his  two  counselors.  It  is  the  duty  of 
the  First  Presidency  to  preside  over  the  affairs  of  the 
Church,  and  they  can  officiate  in  any  or  all  of  its 
offices.  ^*0f  the  Melchisedek  Priesthood,  three  pre- 
siding high  priests,  chosen  by  the  body,  appointed 
and  ordained  to  that  office,  and  upheld  by  the  confi- 
dence, faith,  and  prayer  of  the  Church,  form  a 
quorum  of  the  presidency  of  the  Church."  ''The 
duty  of  the  President  of  the  office  of  the  High  Priest- 
hood is  to  preside  over  the  whole  Church,  and  to  be 
like  unto  Moses."  ''Yea,  to  be  a  seer,  a  revelator, 
a  translator,  and  a  prophet,  having  all  the  gifts 
of  God  which  he  bestows  upon  the  head  of  the 
Church." 

The  Twelve  Apostles  are  a  traveling  presiding  high 
council,  next  in  order  of  authority  to  the  First  Presi- 
dency. On  the  death  of  the  President  of  the  Church, 
the  presiding  authority  falls  on  the  next  council  in 
precedence,  which  is  the  council  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles,  and  continues  with  that  council  until 
another  First  Presidency  is  installed.    The  presidency 


ORGANIZATION.  11 

of  the  council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  is  decided  by- 
seniority  or  ordination.  The  duties  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles  are  to  preach  the  Gospel  and  build  up  the 
Church  and  regulate  the  affairs  of  the  same  in  all 
nations,  under  the  direction  of  the  First  Presidency. 
It  is  the  privilege  and  duty  of  the  council  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles,  when  sent  out,  to  open  the  Gospel 
door  to  the  various  nations  of  the  earth,  and,  when 
they  need  assistance,  it  is  their  duty  to  call  preferen- 
tially on  the  Seventies  to  fill  the  calls  for  preaching 
and  administering  the  Gospel. 

The  Seventies  are  organized  into  various  councils 
of  seventy,  commonly  termed  quorums.  Each  coun- 
cil of  seventy  has  seven  presidents,  chosen  out  of  the 
seventy,  one  of  the  seven  presiding  over  the  others 
and  over  the  whole  seventy.  The  seven  presidents  of 
the  first  council  of  seventies  also  preside  over  all  the 
councils  of  seventies.  There  are  now  seventy-six 
councils  of  seventies,  seventy  members  in  each  coun- 
cil when  it  is  full. 

In  each  Stake  of  Zion  the  High  Priests  assemble 
in  council  at  stated  times,  perhaps  once  a  month,  for 
counsel  and  instruction  in  their  duties,  with  a  presi- 
dent and  two  counselors  presiding  over  them. 

Elders  are  organized  in  councils  of  ninety-six, 
each  council  with  a  president  and  two  counselors. 

Priests  are  organized  in  councils  of  forty-eight, 
each  with  a  president  and  two  counselors.  This 
president  must  be  a  bishop. 

Teachers  are  organized  in  councils  of  twenty-four, 
each  with  a  president  and  two  counselors. 


12  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

Deacons  are  organized  in  councils  of  twelve,  each 
with  a  president  and  two  counselors. 

At  the  gathering  places  of  the  Latter-day  Saints, 
the  branches  of  the  Church  are  organized  into  Stakes 
of  Zion.  In  Utah  these  stakes  are  generally,  but  not 
necessarily,  co-extensive  with  counties.  Each  stake 
has  a  president,  with  his  two  counselors,  and  has  also 
a  high  council,  consisting  of  twelve  high  priests.  The 
president  of  a  stake,  with  his  two  counselors,  presides 
over  the  high  council  of  that  stake.  The  jurisdiction 
of  the  high  council  of  a  stake  is  appellate  in  most 
cases,  but  original  in  some.  The  decisions  of  a  high 
council  are  usually,  but  not  invariably,  final.  On  an 
appeal  from  the  decision  of  a  high  council,  a  hearing 
and  decision  can  be  had  from  a  general  assembly  of 
the  various  councils  of  the  Priesthood,  which  is  the 
end  of  controvei-sy  in  the  Church,  but  such  appeals 
are  very  rarely  taken . 

The  jurisdiction  of  all  councils  in  the  Church  is 
ecclesiastical,  extending  to  fellowship  and  standing 
only,  the  extreme  judgment  in  all  cases  being  ex- 
communication. 

Each  stake  is  divided  into  an  irregular  number  of 
wards,  over  each  of  which  a  bishop,  with  his  two 
counselors,  presides. 

Each  w^ard  has  its  own  meeting  house,  as  a  rule. 

Each  stake  has  also  its  own  meeting  house  gener- 
ally, for  the  holding  of  conferences  and  other  meet- 
ings. In  Utah  and  adjacent  territories  there  are 
twenty-two  stakes,  comprising  about  two  hundred 
and  eighty  bishops'  w^ards.  Salt  Lake  City  is  divided 
into  twenty-one  wards,   the  usual  size  of  each  of 


DOCTRINES.  13 

which  is  a  square  of  nine  ten  acre  blocks,  though 
most  of  the  wards  in  the  outskirts  are  considerably- 
larger. 

Each  stake  as  a  rule  holds  a  quarterly  conference, 
usually  continuing  tw^o  days. 

The  Church  holds  two  general  conferences  yearly. 
They  are  held  almost  invariably  in  April  and 
October,  commencing  on  the  sixth  day  of  each  of 
those  months,  and  generally  lasting  three  or  four 
days.  Occasionally  special  general  conferences  are 
held. 


CHAPTER  III. 

DOCTRINES. 

The  Latter-day  Saints  believe  in  the  Bible  as  an 
inspired  record  of  the  dealings  of  God  with  men  in 
the  eastern  hemisphere,  and  consequently  believe  in 
the  creation  ov  organization  of  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  by  the  word  of  God. 

They  believe  that  God  placed  Adam  and  Eve  in 
the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  that  they  were  cast  out 
therefrom  tor  transgression,  thereby  bringing  suffer- 
ing and  death  into  the  world,  including  banishment 
from  the  presence  of  God. 

That  Jesus  Christ  w^as  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  by 
his  death  he  made  atonement  for  the  sins  of  Adam 
and  of  the  whole  world,  so  that  men,  by  individual 
acceptance  of  the  terms,  can  have  their  own  sins 
forgiven  or  remitted  and  be  reconciled  to  God. 


14  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

That  in  order  to  obtain  this  forgiveness  or  remis- 
sion and  reconciliation,  men  must  have  faith  in  God 
and  in  Jesus  Christ,  repent  of  and  forsake  their  sins, 
be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  them,  have  hands  laid 
upon  them  by  authorized  ministers  for  the  reception 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  live  a  pure  life,  keeping  the 
commandments  of  God  and  walking  in  holiness  be- 
fore him. 

That  members  of  the  Church  should  partake  of 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  at  stated  times, 
and  assemble  frequently  to  worship  God  and  to  be 
instructed  in  regard  to  their  duties  and  privileges. 

That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  members  of  the  Church 
to  pay  first  a  tenth  part  of  their  property,  and  after- 
ward a  tenth  of  their  increase  or  income  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  work  of  God. 

That  revelations  from  God  and  miraculous  mani- 
festations of  his  power  were  not  confined  to  the 
apostolic  and  earlier  ages,  nor  to  the  eastern  hemi- 
sphere, but  may  be  enjoyed  in  this  age  or  in  any  dis- 
pensation or  country. 

That  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  Doctrine  and 
Covenants  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints  are  revelations  from  God,  the  former  being 
an  inspired  record  of  his  dealings  with  the  ancient 
inhabitants  of  this  continent,  and  the  latter  consist- 
ing of  revelations  from  him  in  this  dispensation. 

That  he  gave  revelations  to  Joseph  Smith  and  in- 
spired him  to  translate  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  to 
organize  the  Church  of  Christ  anew  upon  the  earth 
in  our  day. 

That  this  is  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of 


DOCTRINES.  15 

times,  in  which  all  things  will  be  gathered  together  in 
one,  both  which  are  in  heaven  and  which  are  on  the 
earth. 

That  the  Gospel  must  be  preached  in  all  the  world 
for  a  witness,  and  then  the  end  shall  come. 

That  those  who  believe  in  the  Gospel  and  receive 
the  testimony  of  the  servants  of  God  should  gather 
themselves  together  as  one  people  upon  this  conti- 
nent, to  build  up  communities,  cities,  and  temples  to 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  to  establish  Zion,  that 
they  may  escape  the  judgments  which  God  is  about 
to  send  ilpon  the  wicked,  and  be  prepared  for  the 
coming;  of  Jesus  Christ  to  take  upon  him  his  power 
and  reign  on  the  earth  as  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords. 

That  men  and  women  should  not  indulge  in  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  thereby  corrupt,  debase  and 
destroy  themselves  and  others. 

That  marriage,  whether  monogamic  or  polygamic, 
is  honorable  in  all,  and  the  bed  undefiled,  when  such 
marriage  is  contracted  and  carried  out  in  accordance 
with  the  law  of  God. 

That  the  ten  commandments  are  as  binding  now 
as  when  delivered  to  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai,  and  that 
the  two  supreme  commandments,  into  which  Jesus 
Christ  resolved  the  ten,  are,  with  the  ten,  as  binding 
now  as  when  he  was  upon  the  earth  in  the  flesh; 
which  two  commandments  are  as  follows:  *'Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the 
first  and  great  commandment.  And  the  second  is 
like  unto  it.    Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thy- 


16  THE  CHURCH  OP  JESUS  CHBIST. 

self.  On  these  two  commandments  hang  all  the  law 
and  the  prophets. ' ' 

That  every  man  is  free  to  accept  or  reject  the  Gos- 
pel, but  that  he  cannot  receive  remission  of  sins,  nor 
be  reconciled  to  God,  nor  enjoy  eternal  life  in  his 
presence,  on  any  other  terms  than  obedience  to  the 
Gospel. 

That  men  will  be  rewarded  or  punished  according 
to  their  works,  whether  good  or  evil. 

That  the  dead,  who  did  not  obey  the  Gospel  in  this 
life,  can  hear  and  accept  of  it  in  the  spirit  world, 
their  mortal  relatives  or  friends  attending  to  the 
ordinances  of  the  Gospel  in  their  behalf 

That  all  mankind  will  be  resurrected  from  the 
dead  and  will  come  forth  to  judgment  and  receive 
either  reward  or  punishment,  which  will  be  various 
in  degree,  according  to  capacity,  merit,  and  demerit. 

That  the  earth  glorified  will  be  the  dwelling  place 
of  resurrected,  glorified,  and  immortal  beings,  who 
will  have  previously  passed  their  mortal  probation 
thereon,  and  that  they  will  dwell  upon  it  forever  in 
the  light  and  knowledge  and  glory  of  God. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


ORDINANCES. 


There  are  certain  ordinances  connected  with  the 
Gospel,  most  of  which  are  essential  to  complete  sal- 
vation, and  all  are  desirable  to  be  observed  under 
proper  circumstances. 


ORDINANCES.  17 

The  first  ordinance  is  the  baptism  of  water  for  the 
remission  of  sins.  ''Baptism  is  to  be  administered  in 
the  following  manner  unto  all  those  who  repent : 
The  person  who  is  called  of  God,  and  has  Authority 
from  Jesus  Christ  to  baptize,  shall  go  down  into  the 
water  with  the  person  who  has  presented  him  or  her- 
self for  baptism,  and  shall  say,  calling  him  or  her  by 
name,  'Having  been  commissioned  of  Jesus  Christ,  I 
baptize  you  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Amen.'  Then  shall  he 
immerse  him  or  her  in  the  water,  and  come  forth 
again  out  of  the  water.'' 

Baptism  is  analogous  to  the  door  ol  the  Church. 
No  person  can  become  a  member  without  baptism, 
and  no  person  is  eligible  for  baptism  without  repent- 
ance of  sins  committed.  Consequently  the  candidate 
must  have  arrived  at  the  years  of  accountability,  and 
be  capable  of  repentance.  "All  those  who  humble 
themselves  before  God,  and  desire  to  be  baptized  and 
come  forth  with  broken  hearts  and  contrite  spirits, 
and  witness  before  the  Church  that  they  have  truly 
repented  of  all  their  sins,  and  are  willing  to  take  upon 
them  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  having  a  determina- 
tion to  serve  him  to  the  end,  and  truly  manifest  by 
their  works  that  they  have  received  of  the  spirit  of 
Christ  unto  the  remission  of  their  sins,  shall  be 
received  by  baptism  into  his  Church." 

Children  are  eligible  for  baptism  on  attaining  the 
age  of  eight  years,  previous  to  which  age  they  are  not 
considered  accountable  before  God  for  their  transgres- 
sions. 

IS"o  person  who  has  been  excommunicated  from 


18  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

the  Church  can  be  re-admitted  without  repentance 
and  baptism  as  at  the  fii'st. 

Baptism  for  the  dead  is  administered  in  a  similar 
manner  to  baptism  for  the  living,  a  living  person  act- 
ing as  proxy  for  the  dead  person  on  whose  account 
the  baptism  is  administered. 

After  baptism  the  candidates  are  confirmed  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  by  the  laying  on  of  hands,  that 
they  may  receive  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  duty  of  * 'every  member  of  the  Church  of 
Christ  having  children,  is  to  bring  them  unto  the 
elders,  before  the  Church,  who  are  to  lay  their  hands 
upon  them  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  bless 
th€m  in  his  name." 

The  laying  on  of  hands  is  an  ordinance  also  in 
the  giving  of  patriarchal  or  other  blessings  to  mem- 
bers of  the  Church,  in  ordination  to  office  in  the 
Priesthood,  in  setting  persons  apart  to  particular 
duties  or  callings  or  missions,  and  in  administering 
to  the  sick  in  connection  with  anointing  with  conse- 
crated oil  and  the  prayer  of  faith. 

In  regard  to  the  ordinance  or  sacrament  of  the 
Loixi's  Supper,  the  members  of  the  Church  are  re- 
quired to  meet  together  often  to  partake  of  the  bread 
and  wine  (or  water,  when  pure  home-made  grape 
wine  cannot  be  had)  in  remembrance  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  An  elder  or  a  priest  can  administer  it.  Usu- 
ally the  elder  or  the  priest  officiating  breaks  the 
bread  into  small  pieces,  kneels  with  the  members  of 
the  Church  assembled,  and  calls  upon  God,  the  Father, 
in  solemn  prayer,  saying,  *'0  God,  the  eternal  Father, 
w^e  ask  thee  in  the  name  of  thy  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  to 


ORDINANCES.  19 

bless  and  sanctify  this  bread  to  tlie  souls  of  all  those 
who  partake  of  it,  that  they  may  eat  in  remembrance 
of  the  body  of  thy  Son,  and  witness  unto  thee,  O 
God,  the  eternal  Father,  that  they  are  willing  to  takd 
upon  them  the  name  of  thy  Son,  and  always  remem- 
ber him  and  keep  his  commandments  which  he  has 
given  them,  that  they  may  always  have  his  Spirit  to 
be  with  them.     Amen." 

After  the  members  have  partaken  of  the  bread, 
the  person  officiating  takes  the  cup  and  engages  in 
prayer,  saying,  *'0  God,  the  eternal  Father,  we  ask 
thee  in  the  name  of  thy  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  to  bless 
and  sanctify  this  wine  [or  waiter]  to  the  souls  of  all 
those  who  drink  of  it,  that  they  may  do  it  in  remem- 
brance of  the  blood  of  thy  Son,  which  was  shed  for 
them ;  that  they  may  witness  unto  thee,  0  God,  the 
eternal  Father,  that  they  do  always  remember  him, 
that  they  may  have  his  Spirit  to  be  with  them. 
Amen." 

There  is  also  the  ordinance  of  marriage* 
JS'o  person  has  authority  to  preach  the  Gospel,  or 
administer  in  any  ordinance  thereof,  unless  he  holds 
the  Priesthood,  and  then  only  in  such  ordinances  as 
the  particular  office  to  which  he  has  been  ordained 
empowers  him,  and  often  only 'by  special  calling  and 
appointment. 


23  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

CHAPTER  V. 

HISTORY. 

In  the  spring  of  1820,  God  the  Father  and  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ  appeared  in  vision  to  Joseph  Smith,  at 
Manchester,  Ontario  County,  New  York,  while  he 
was  praying  for  wisdom.  During  several  years  follow- 
ing he  enjoyed  the  ministration  of  angels,  and  re- 
ceived from  them  much  instruction  in  the  things  of 
God. 

On  the  22d  of  September,  1827,  an  angel  of  the 
Lord  delivered  into  his  hands  the  metal  plates  which 
contained  the  ancient  record  known  as  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  engraved  in  reformed  Egyptian  characters, 
and  hid  in  the  earth  by  divine  direction  about  four- 
teen hundred  years  ago.  In  1829  the  plates  were 
shown  by  an  angel  to  three  witnesses.  Afterward 
eight  witnesses  saw  them,  and  handled  some  of  them. 
The  testimony  of  these  eleven  witnesses  is  published 
with  the  Book  of  Mormon.  With  the  plates  was 
found  a  Urim  and  Thummim,  consisting  of  two  trans- 
parent stones  set  in  the  rim  of  a  bow  fastened  to  a 
breastplate,  by  means  of  which  Joseph  Smith  trans- 
lated the  record  into  English  by  the  gift  and  power 
of  God. 

On  the  15th  of  May,  1829,  John  the  Baptist  ap- 
peared to  Joseph  Smith  and  Oliver  Cowdery,  laid  his 
hands  upon  them,  and  ordained  them  to  the  Aaronic 
Priesthood,  in  the  following  words:  ''Upon  you,  my 


HISTORY.  21 

fellow  servants,  in  the  name  of  Messiah,  I  confer  the 
Priesthood  of  Aaron^  which  holds  the  keys  of  the 
ministering  of  angels,  and  of  the  gospel  of  repent- 
ance, and  of  baptism  by  immersion  for  the  remission 
of  sins ;  and  this  shall  never  be  taken  again  from  the 
earth,  until  the  sons  of  Levi  do  offer  an  offering  unto 
the  Lord  in  righteousness." 

The  same  year  the  ancient  apostles,  Peter,  James, 
and  John,  appeared  to  them  and  ordained  them  to 
the  apostleship  of  the  Melchisedek  Priesthood. 

On  the  6th  of  April,  1830,  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  was  organized,  with  six 
members,  at  Fayette,  Seneca  County,  New  York,  by 
Joseph  Smith,  then  twenty-four  years  old,  who  was 
instructed  and  empowered  to  that  purpose  by  revela- 
tion from  God.  The  Book  of  Mormon  was  printed  at 
Palmyra,  New  York,  and  published  the  same  year. 

The  Church  rapidly  increased  in  numbers  and 
many  located  at  Kirtland,  Ohio. 

In  1831  a  settlement  was  made  at  Independence, 
Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and  in  a  few  years  in 
several  other  counties  in  that  state. 

On  February  14,  1835,  the  first  council  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles  was  chosen.  On  the  28th  of  the 
same  month  the  first  council  of  Seventies  was  selected. 

After  being  mobocratically  driven  from  county 
to  county,  the  Latter-day  Saints  were  finally  expelled 
from  Missouri  in  1838. 

Many  of  them  soon  after  found  a  refuge  at  Com- 
merce (afterward  named  Nauvoo)  and  vicinity,  in 
Illinois,  which  speedily  became  a  comparatively  large 
and  prosperous  city.     But  persecution  of  the  Latter- 


'si  THE  CHURCH  OP  JESUS  CHRIST. 

day  Saints  was  shortly  recommenced,  and  on  the  27th 
of  June,  1844,  while  under  the  express  pledge  of 
Thos.  Ford,  Governor  of  the  State,  for  their  safe 
keeping,  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother  Hyrum  were 
shot  and  killed,  and  John  Taylor  was  severely 
wounded,  at  Carthage,  by  a  mob  with  faces  black- 
ened. At  the  time  of  his  death  Joseph  Smith  was 
President  of  the  Church,  and  Hyrum  Smith  was 
Patriarch. 

On  the  deatli  of  Joseph  Smith,  the  council  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles,  with  Brigham  Young  as  their  presi- 
dent, became  the  x^residing  council  in  the  Church. 

In  consequence  of  continued  mobucratic  outrages 
and  threats,  the  Church  determined  to  leave  Nauvoo 
and  go  west  to  some  far  distant  place  where  they 
hoped  to  be  permitted  to  live  in  peace.  Brigham 
Young  and  one  thousand  families  left  Nauvoo  in 
February  and  the  early  spring  of  1846,  arriving  at 
Council  Bluffs,  Io^ya,  in  July  of  that  year,  where 
the  Mormon  Battalion  of  five  hundred  men  was 
called  lor  by  the  Federal  Government,  and  raised  to 
aid  in  the  war  against  Mexico. 

In  September  following,  the  Latter-day  Saints  re- 
maining in  Nauvoo,  including  the  aged,  infirm,  poor, 
and  sick,  were  attacked  by  an  armed  mob,  despoiled 
of  most  of  their  property,  driven  across  the  river, 
and  otherwise  outrageously  and  inhumanly  abused. 

In  the  spring  of  1847,  Brigham  Young  and  a 
company  of  one  hundred  and  forty-three  pioneers 
started  to  cross  the  great  plains  and  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. They  arrived  in  Salt  Lake  Valley  July  24th, 
of  the  same  year,   and   immediately  founded  Great 


HISTORY.  2o 

Salt  Lake  City,  now  Salt  Lake  City,  subsequently 
making  other  settlements  and  building  cities  all  over 
the  Territory  of  Utah  and  extending  into  the  territo- 
ries and  states  adjoining. 

The  pioneers  were  followed  by  seven  hundred 
wagons  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  and  by  many 
emigrants  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  every  year  since. 

On  the  27th  of  December,  1847,  a  First  Presi- 
dency was  accepted,  consisting  of  Brigham  Young, 
president,  with  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  Willard  Rich- 
ards, counselors. 

In  1857,  in  consequence  of  false  and  malicious 
reports,  President  Buchanan  sent  an  army  to  Utah 
to  operate  inimically  to  the  inhabitants.  But  the 
army  was  unable  to  enter  Salt  Lake  Valley  that  year. 

In  the  spring  of  1858,  the  people  of  Salt  Lake  City 
and  the  country  adjacent  left  their  homes,  with  the 
view  of  burning  them,  and  traveled  southward.  But 
amicable  arrangements  were  soon  made,  most  of  the 
people  returned  to  their  homes,  and  the  army  found 
itself  with  nothing  to  do,  until'  the  secession  of  the 
Southern  States,  when  its  commander  and  other 
officers  took  the  side  of  the  south,  and  the  rank  and 
file  were  sent  to  fight  on  the  side  of  the  north.  The 
army  came  to  Utah  to  despoil  and  destroy,  but  God 
overruled  things  and  caused  it  to  greatly  aid  the  peo- 
ple, materially  and  financially,  to  build  up  and 
develop  the  territory,  and  they  have  prospered  ever 
since,  although  some  federal  officials  and  other  un- 
principled characters  have  many  times  endeavored  to 
oppress  them  and  accomplish  their  overthrow. 

On  the  29th  of  August,    1877,   Brigham  Young 


24  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

died,  and  the  direction  of  the  Church  fell  upon  the 
council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  with  John  Taylor 
presiding. 

On  the  10th  of  October,  1880,  a  First  Presi- 
dency of  the  Church  w^as  accepted,  consisting  of 
John  Taylor,  president,  and  George  Q.  Cannon  and 
Joseph  F.  Smith,  his  counselors. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1882,  incited  by  most 
abominable  lies  and  slanders.  Congress  passed  the  un- 
constitutional and  infamous  Edmunds  bill,  destroying 
the  liberties  of  the  people  of  the  territory  and  put- 
ting all  registration  and  election  and  many  appoint- 
ive matters  in  the  hands  of  an  oligarchal  commission 
or  returning  board,  consisting  of  five  irresponsible  ap- 
pointees of  the  President,  at  a  cost  to  the  country  of 
much  more  annually  than  the  appropriation  for  the 
territorial  legislature  biennially. 

On  the  19th  of  April  of  the  same  year,  the  House 
of  Representatives  refused  to  permit  the  legally 
elected  delegate  from  Utah  to  take  his  seat,  and  de- 
clared the  same  vacant , 

On  the  5th  of  August  following,  in  consequence  of 
representations  made  by  the  three  federal  judges  of 
the  territory.  Congress  passed  a  law  authorizing  the 
Governor  to  appoint  men  to  fill  the  vacancies  resulting 
from  the  failure  of  the  August  election,  which  fell 
through  because  of  the  passage  of  the  Edmunds  bill. 
The  actual  vacancies  under  this  law  were  very  few, 
yet  Governor  Murray,  with  his  characteristic  unscru- 
pulousness,  resolved  to  wrest  the  law  so  as  to  make  a 
fell  swoop  of  nearly  all  the  offices  in  the  territory, 
and  thus  wrench  them  out  of  the  hands  of  the  people 


;  HISTORY.  25 

and  their  lawfully  elected  officers  and  representatives, 
and  give  them  into  the  hands  of  his  own  partisans, 
the  bitter  enemies  of  the  people.  Consequently,  he 
arbitrarily  interpreted  the  new  law  to  vacate  nearly 
all  the  offices  of  the  twenty-four  counties  in  the  terri- 
tory, said  offices  numbering  between  two  and  three 
hundred,  besides  some  other  local  and  some  territorial 
offices,  and  proceeded,  by  and  with  the  advice  and 
consent  of  nobody,  probably,  but  his  own  prejudiced 
and  wicked  self,  to  make  appointments  to  fill  these 
offices,  thus  despotically  assuming  to  exercise  a  far 
greater  stretch  oi  power  than  is  exercised  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  correspondingly 
despoiling  the  people  of  their  constitutional,  organic, 
lawful,  and  vested  right  to  official  representation. 

This  same  Governor  Murray,  in  direct  violation 
and  open  defiance  of  the  law,  had  previously  refused 
to  count  eighteen  thousand  lawful  votes  for  the  peo- 
ple's candidate  for  delegate  to  Congress,  in  order  that 
he  might  illegally  give  the  certificate  of  election  to 
one  of  his  own  partisans,  who  received  less  than  four- 
teen hundred  votes,  and  thus  corruptly  and  ruthlessly 
deprive  the  eighteen  thousand  citizens  of  their  right 
of  suffi:age.  Congress  refused  to  sanction  this  out- 
rageous tampering  with  the  ballot  box,  this  wholesale 
spoliation,  and  rejected  the  bogus  certificate.  Yet 
the  unprincipled  Governor,  who  attempted  this  in- 
iquitous tampering  and  spoliation  and  gave  the  certi- 
ficate to  the  man  who  was  not  elected,  but  refused  to 
give  one  to  the  man  who  was  elected  by  an  over- 
whelming majority,  has  been  sustained  in  his  par- 
tiality, presumption,  and  wickedness  by  no  less  than 


20  THE  CHURCH   OF  JE6US  CHRIST.      ' 

three  several  presidents  of  these  United  States,  and 
consequently  the  longsuifering  people  of  the  territory 
have  had  to  endure  the  incubus  of  his  unwelcome 
and  pernicious  presence  and  the  aggravated  infliction 
of  his  usurpative  and  demoralizing  gubernatorial 
rule. 

In  the  second  full  week  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  the  five  federal  commissioners  had  a  registra- 
tion of  voters  throughout  the  territory,  expunging 
from  the  old  lists  the  names  of  all  those  who  did  not 
appear  and  be  re-registered,  and  of  others  who  did 
appear.  Many  Latter-day  Saints,  men  and  women 
of  excellent  character,  peaceable,  industrious,  order- 
loving,  and  law-abiding  citizens,  some  of  them  three 
or  four  score  years  old,  and  who  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  vote  unchallenged  from  their  youth  up,  were 
not  allowed  to  be  re-registered,  though  fully  eligible 
under  the  law,  and  not  liable  to  any  legal  punish- 
ment in  any  court  in  the  country,  because  no  crime 
of  any  kind  could  be  lawfully  charged  against  them. 
On  the  other  hand,  adulterers  and  libertines,  well 
known  and  acknowledged  to  be  such,  married  men 
who  confessed  to  living  with  other  women,  and  noto- 
rious public  prostitutes  were  freely  registered. 

The  same  week  a  number  of  rabid  anti- Mormons 
conspired  to  overthrow  the  right  of  women  to  be 
registered  and  to  vote.  Such  an  obnoxious  character 
had  Governor  Murray  obtained  among  the  people, 
that  he  was  almost  universally  believed  to  be  one  of 
the  chief  of  the  conspirators  and  instigators  in  this 
ungallant,  unmanly,  and  inefiably  mean  spirited  at- 
tempt to  abolish  woman  suffrage  in  Utah.    But  the 


IIISTOKY.  27 

judges  in  all  the  distri(!t  courts  in  the  territory  de- 
cided that  the  woman  suffrage  law  was  valid. 

During  the  last  twenty  years,  about  two  thousand 
tscven  hundred  missionaries,  and  previously,  since  the 
organization  of  the  Church,  probably  about  one  thou- 
sand five  hundred  more,  have  been  sent  to  the  vari- 
ous nations  to  preach  the  Gospel,  besides  hundreds 
of  native  elders,  traveling  and  preaching  more  locally, 
in  the  several  missions  thus  established.  Missionary 
elders  went  to  Canada  as  early  as  1833 ;  England  in 
1837;  Wales,  Scotland,  Isle  of  Man,  Ireland,  Austra- 
lia and  East  Indies  in  1840 ;  Palestine  in  1841,  Elder 
Orson  Hyde  passing  through  the  Netherlands,  Bava- 
ria, Austria,  Turkey,  and  Egypt,  on  his  way ;  Society 
Islands  in  1844 ;  the  Channel  Islands  and  France  in 
1849;  Denmark,  Sweden,  Italy,  Switzerland  and 
the  Sandwich  Islands  in  1850 ;  Norway,  Iceland,  Ger- 
many and  Chili  in  1851 ;  Malta,  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  Burmah  and  the  Crimea  in  1852;  Gibraltar, 
Prussia,  China,  Ceylon  and  the  West  Indies  in  1853 ; 
Siam  and  Turkey  in  1854  ;  Brazil  in  1855  ;  the  Nether- 
lands in  1861 ;  Austria  in  1864 ;  Mexico  in  1877. 

Previous  to  the  settling  of  the  Church  in  Salt 
Lake  Valley,  about  five  thousand  Latter-day  Saints 
,  had  emigrated  from  Europe  to  America,  mostly  to 
Nauvoo.  Since  that  time  the  emigration  of  Latter- 
day  Saints  from  Europe  has  amounted  to  nearly 
seventy  thousand  souls,  making  an  average  of  about 
two  thousand  annually,  nearly  all  coming  to  Utah. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  was  published  in  England 
in  1841;  in  Danish  in  1851;  in  Welsh,  French,  Ger- 
man and  Italian  in  1852  ;    in  Hawiian  in  1855 ;  in 


28  THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

Swedish  in  1878.  Several  years  ago  it  was  translated 
into  Hindostanee  and  into  Dutch.  In  1876  portions 
of  it  were  published  in  Spanish,  and  the  whole  is  now 
prepared  for  publication  in  that  language.  It  is  said 
that  it  was  published  in  Russian  in  New  York,  in 
1872,  by  a  gentleman  not  in  the  Ohurch. 

The  Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants  of  the 
Church,  in  addition  to  numerous  editions  in  English, 
in  America  and  England,  was  published  in  Welsh 
in  1851,  Danish  in  1852,  and  German  in  1876.  Many 
regular  periodicals,  advocating  the  doctrines  of  the 
Church,  have  been  published  in  America,  England, 
Wales,  Denmark,  Sweden,  France,  Germany,  Swit- 
zerland, Australia  and  India.  Hundreds  of  thou- 
sands, perhaps  milhons,  of  other  books  and  tracts 
have  been  published  by  the  elders  in  various  lan- 
guages in  the  difterent  quarters  of  the  globe. 

The  following  temples  to  the  Lord  have  been  built 
by  the  Latter-day  Saints  : 

Kirtland,  Ohio,  80  by  60  feet ;  corner  stones  laid 
July  23,  1833 ;  dedicated  March  27,  1836. 

Nauvoo,  Illinois,  128  by  88  feet ;  corner  stones  laid 
April  6,  1841;  dedicated  October  5  and  November  30, 
1845,  and  February  8  and  April  30  and  May  1,  1846  ; 
burned  by  an  incendiary  November  19,  1848. 

St.  George,  Washington  County,  Utah,  142  by  96 
feet;  corner  stones  laid  March  10,  1873;  dedicated 
January  1  and  April  6,  1877. 

The  following  temples,  all  in  Utah,  are  in  process 
of  erection  : 

Salt  Lake  City,  186  by  99  feet ;  corner  stones  laid 
April  6,  1853. 


HISTORY.  29 

Manti,  Sanpete  County,  172  by  95  feet,  with  an 
annexe  to  the  north  85  by  40  feet ;  corner  stones  laid 
April  14,  1879. 

Logan,  Cache  County,  171  by  95  feet,  with  an 
annexe  to  the  rorth  88  by  38  feet;  corner  stones  laid 
September  17,  1877. 

The  site  for  a  temple  was  dedicated  at  Indepen- 
dence, Jackson  County,  Missouri,  August  3f  1831. 

The  corner  stones  of  a  temple,  110  by  80  feet, 
were  laid  at  Far  West,  Caldwell  County,  Missouri, 
July  4,  1838. 


REFERENCES 

TO  QUOTATIONS  IN  THE   FOREGOING  PAGES. 


Doctrine  and  Covenants,  Reference  Edition. 

Page. 

CVII,  18,  19.     The  power  and  authority, 5 

XX,  38 — 45.     An  apostle  is  an  elder, 6 

CVII,  20.     The  power  and  authority , 7 

CVII,  68.     The  office  of  a  bishop 7 

LXVIII,  20.     And  found  worthy 7 

LXVIII,  19;   also  CVII,  17.     But  as  a  high  priest 7 

XX,  46 — 52.     To  preach,  teach,  expound,  exhort, 8 

XX,  53 — 6.     To  watch  over  the  church, 8 

LXXXIV,  III.     Appointed  to  watch, 9 

XX,  58 — 9.     But  neither  teachers  nor  deacons, 9 

CVII,  22.     Of  the  Melchisedek  Priesthood 10 

CVII,  91.     The  duty  of  the  President 10 

CVII,  92.     Yea,  to  be  a  seer 10 

XX,  72 — 4.     Baptism  is  to  be  administered 17 

XX,  37.     All  those  who  humble  themselves, 17 

XX,  70,     Every  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ 18 

XX,  Tj,     O  God,,  the  Eternal  Father  (the  bread) 18 

XX,  79.     O  God,  the  Eternal  Father  (the  wine), 19 

XIII.     Upon  you,  my  fellow-servants, .*... 20 

Bible, 

Matt.  XXIIi  37—40.     Tliou  Shalt  love  the  Eord  thy  God,..  15 


TESTIMONY 

OF    WITNESSES    TO    THE    BOOK    OF    MORMON. 


The  Testimony  of  Three  Witnesses. 

Be  it  known  unto  all  nations,  kindreds,  tongues,  and  people 
unto  whom  this  work  shall  come,  that  we,  through  the  grace  of 
God  the  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  have  seen  the 
plates  which  contain  this  record,  which  is  a  record  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Nephi,  and  also  of  the  Lamanites,  their  brethren,  and 
also  of  the  people  of  Jared,  who  came  from  the  tower  of  which 
hath  been  spoken;  and  we  also  know  that  they  have  been 
translated  by  the  gift  and  power  of  God,  for  his  voice  hath 
declared  it  unto  us ;  wherefore  we  know  of  a  surety  that  the 
work  is  true.  And  we  also  testify  that  we  have  seen  the  en- 
gravings which  are  upon  the  plates ;  and  they  have  been  shewn 
unto  us  by  the  power  of  God,  and  not  of  man.  And  we  declare 
with  words  of  soberness,  that  an  angel  of  God  came  down 
from  heaven,  and  he  brought  and  laid  before  our  eyes,  that  we 
beheld  and  saw  the  plates,  and  the  engravings  thereon ;  and 
we  know  that  it  is  by  the  grace  of  God  the  Father,  and  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  beheld  and  bear  record  that  these 
things  are  true ;  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes,  nevertheless 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  commanded  us  that  we  should  bear 
record  of  it;  wherefore,  to  be  obedient  unto  the  command- 
ments of  God,  we  bear  testimony  of  these  things.  And  we 
know  that  if  we  are  faithful  in  Christ,  we  shall  rid  our  garments 
of  the  blood  of  all  men,  and  be  found  spotless  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  Christ,  and  shall  dwell  with  him  eternally  in  the 
heavens.  And  the  honor  be  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son, 
and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  one  God.     Amen. 

Oliver  Cowdery, 
David  Whitmer, 
Martin  Harris, 


82 


THE  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 


And  also  the  Testimony  of  Eight  Witnesses. 

Be  it  known  unto  all  nations,  kindreds,  tongues,  and  people 
unto  whom  this  work  shall  come,  that  Joseph  Smith,  Jun.,  the 
translator  of  this  work,  has  shewn  unto  us  the  plates  of  which 
hath  been  spoken,  which  have  the  appearance  of  gold;  and  as 
many  of  the  leaves  as  the  said  Smith  has  translated,  we  did 
handle  with  our  hands ;  and  we  also  saw  the  engravings  thereon, 
all  of  which  has  the  appearance  of  ancient  work,  and  of  curi- 
ous workmanship.  And  this  we  bear  record  with  words  of 
soberness,  that  the  said  Smith  has  shewn  unto  us,  for  we  have 
seen  and  hefted,  and  know  of  a  surety  that  the  said  Smith  has 
got  the  plates  of  which  we  have  spoken.  And  we  give  our 
names  unto  the  world,  to  witness  unto  the  world  that  which  we 
have  seen ;  and  we  lie  not,  God  bearing  witness  of  it. 
Christian  Whitmer,  Hiram  Page, 

Jacob  Whitmer,  Joseph  Smith,  Sen., 

Peter  Whitmer,  Jun.,  Hyrum  Smith, 

John  Whitmer,  Samuel  H.  Smith, 


